The 2009 Florida Statutes

(1)(a) District school boards shall renew state-issued professional certificates as follows:

1. Each district school board shall renew state-issued professional certificates for individuals who hold a state-issued professional certificate and are employed by that district pursuant to criteria established in subsections (2), (3), and (4) and rules of the State Board of Education.

2. The employing school district may charge the individual an application fee not to exceed the amount charged by the Department of Education for such services, including associated late renewal fees. Each district school board shall transmit monthly to the department a fee in an amount established by the State Board of Education for each renewed certificate. The fee shall not exceed the actual cost for maintenance and operation of the statewide certification database and for the actual costs incurred in printing and mailing such renewed certificates. As defined in current rules of the state board, the department shall contribute a portion of such fee for purposes of funding the Educator Recovery Network established in s. 1012.798. The department shall deposit all funds into the Educational Certification and Service Trust Fund for use as specified in s. 1012.59.

(b) The department shall renew state-issued professional certificates for individuals who are not employed by a district school board of this state pursuant to criteria established in subsections (2), (3), and (4) and requirements specified in rules of the state board.

(2)(a) All professional certificates, except a nonrenewable professional certificate, shall be renewable for successive periods not to exceed 5 years after the date of submission of documentation of completion of the requirements for renewal provided in subsection (3). Only one renewal may be granted during each 5-year validity period of a professional certificate.

(b) A teacher with national certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards is deemed to meet state renewal requirements for the life of the teacher's national certificate in the subject shown on the national certificate. A complete renewal application and fee shall be submitted. The Commissioner of Education shall notify teachers of the renewal application and fee requirements.

(c) If the renewal application form is not received by the department or by the employing school district before the expiration of the professional certificate, the application form, application fee, and a late fee must be submitted before July 1 of the year following expiration of the certificate in order to renew the professional certificate.

(d) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to allow a 1-year extension of the validity period of a professional certificate in the event of serious illness, injury, or other extraordinary extenuating circumstances of the applicant. The department shall grant such 1-year extension upon written request by the applicant or by the district school superintendent or the governing authority of a university lab school, state-supported school, or private school that employs the applicant.

(3) For the renewal of a professional certificate, the following requirements must be met:

(a) The applicant must earn a minimum of 6 college credits or 120 inservice points or a combination thereof. For each area of specialization to be retained on a certificate, the applicant must earn at least 3 of the required credit hours or equivalent inservice points in the specialization area. Education in "clinical educator" training pursuant to s. 1004.04(6)(b) and credits or points that provide training in the area of scientifically researched, knowledge-based reading literacy and computational skills acquisition, exceptional student education, normal child development, and the disorders of development may be applied toward any specialization area. Credits or points that provide training in the areas of drug abuse, child abuse and neglect, strategies in teaching students having limited proficiency in English, or dropout prevention, or training in areas identified in the educational goals and performance standards adopted pursuant to ss. 1000.03(5) and 1008.345 may be applied toward any specialization area. Credits or points earned through approved summer institutes may be applied toward the fulfillment of these requirements. Inservice points may also be earned by participation in professional growth components approved by the State Board of Education and specified pursuant to s. 1012.98 in the district's approved master plan for inservice educational training, including, but not limited to, serving as a trainer in an approved teacher training activity, serving on an instructional materials committee or a state board or commission that deals with educational issues, or serving on an advisory council created pursuant to s. 1001.452.

(b) In lieu of college course credit or inservice points, the applicant may renew a specialization area by passage of a state board approved subject area test.

(c) If an applicant wishes to retain more than two specialization areas on the certificate, the applicant shall be permitted two successive validity periods for renewal of all specialization areas, but must earn no fewer than 6 college course credit hours or the equivalent in any one validity period.

(d) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for the expanded use of training for renewal of the professional certificate for educators who are required to complete training in teaching students of limited English proficiency and training in the teaching of reading as follows:

1. A teacher who holds a professional certificate may use college credits or inservice points completed in English-for-Speakers-of-Other-Languages training and training in the teaching of reading in excess of 6 semester hours during one certificate-validity period toward renewal of the professional certificate during the subsequent validity periods.

2. A teacher who holds a temporary certificate may use college credits or inservice points completed in English-for-Speakers-of-Other-Languages training and training in the teaching of reading toward renewal of the teacher's first professional certificate. Such training must not have been included within the degree program, and the teacher's temporary and professional certificates must be issued for consecutive school years.

(4) When any person who holds a valid temporary certificate or professional certificate is called into or volunteers for actual wartime service or required peacetime military service training, the certificate shall be renewed for a period of time equal to the time spent in military service if the person makes proper application and presents substantiating evidence to the department or the employing school district regarding such military service.

(5) The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to allow the reinstatement of expired professional certificates. The department may reinstate an expired professional certificate if the certificateholder:

(a) Submits an application for reinstatement of the expired certificate.

(b) Documents completion of 6 college credits during the 5 years immediately preceding reinstatement of the expired certificate, completion of 120 inservice points, or a combination thereof, in an area specified in paragraph (3)(a).

(c) During the 5 years immediately preceding reinstatement of the certificate, achieves a passing score on the subject area test for each subject to be shown on the reinstated certificate.

The requirements of this subsection may not be satisfied by subject area tests or college credits completed for issuance of the certificate that has expired.